WOOD THREADING

[skeith]

Has anyone done any wood threading?....I have a few projects in mind. Have read up on the Beall which uses a router....Have also seen the threadbox styles....any recommendations/experiences?

Thanks much

Sam

[newbie2wood]

Sorry, don't have any experience with threading wood but I notice that the price for the router setup and the manual tap & die are approximately the same. The router setup from Rockler is $139 but it has 3 tap sizes.
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Ecigarette 123

[WayneJ]

Sam, check page 12 of the latest Wood Mag. Their is some info about threading dies HTH
Wayne

[LCHIEN]

I've used these inexpensive HF chinese-made ones (identical to ones sold at elsewhere for more $$$) and they seem to work fine.
Around $20 per size, 1/2", 3/4" and 1" linked below.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=30960

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=30961

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=30962

they also have a flat-bottom tap available for a couple extra bucks, to thread all the way to the bottom of a hole, if need be. The regular tap is tapered to enter the hole correctly, so you switch part way thru the process. You don't need the bottom hole tap if you are threading through holes.

[leehljp]

Thanks Loring for posting that. I didn't know that HF had that.

Something that some may not know but most wood works well with metal bolts. Use a tap in a hole or just slowly screw a bold into the hole. Holds well in most cases and several here do this often.

[tkarlmann]

I have the Beall wood threading book. He contrasts his system to the others and says that sharpening the "other kinds" might pose difficulties, and also points out that his router bit is not only carbide, but is also easily sharpenable and/or economically replaceable.

Couple more points:
1) with Beall, you can adjust the fit of the threads by raising or lowering the router bit -- adding flexibility.
2) The taps come with a removable pilot on them. This means you can start the hole out properly! This is very important for any tapping operation. Also, for blind holes, you can start out with a pilot, back out the tap, remove the pilot, finish the hole to the bottom.

At this point I'm a Beall advocate.

Here is a tip: After tapping a hole in wood (especially with fine pitch metal taps) wash your threads with thin CA to strengthen them.

[skeith]

Thanks to all for the input !!......tkarlmann - you mentioned adding CA to threads for strength...What is the CA?

Thanks Sam

[GeekMom]

quote:Originally posted by skeith

...What is the CA?

Cyanoacrylate glue. It's like super glue and comes in different thicknesses. The thin CA would help strengthen the wooden threads.

[LCHIEN]

Comparing the two:

I don't doubt the Beall threaders are technically superior, also they use a power tool (router) to cut the outside threads.
YOu clso get all three sizes (1/2, 3/4, and 1") for the package price of $140.

With the HF you get one size for $20 or all 3 for around $60. The bottom taps would cost an add'l $14 or so. So for half the price you get a manual setup but many people only need one size. So you can get started for as little as $20.

The setup for the Beall is more - the router and fixture need to be attached. With the HF you just turn the big die manually; It's always setup and ready to go in an instant. It has a long enough lead-in hole to align well. It doesn't take much strength
or effort to turn it and cut the threads.

Sure the Beall uses a carbide router bit. Maybe the threads are cleaner. On the other hand the HF uses a "replaceable" cutter. If you only need a few threaded rods or just want to start, its a way to go.

For all the difference in the external threader, the internal tap looks to be basicaly the same for both devices. A hand operated tap. The Beall has a removable pilot to make sure you start straight relative to the hole, the
removable part allows you to thread down to the bottom of a non-thru hole. The HF has two taps. on tapered for entry and the optional other square for doing the bottom of the non-thru hole.


Each has its place I guess.

[rg32]

I made a replacement threaded tightening device for an antique flax spinning wheel using an antique threader block and die. It was real trial and error but I finally succeeded and what I eventually did was go to the local bobbin pin mill (long gone now) where I was given a nice cut piece of kiln dried stock of the right dimensions to turn on the lath.
Using Ivory soap worked great as a lubricant when I was cutting the new treads and matching them with the slide, which adjusted the tension for the spinning wheel.

[messmaker]

Wood magazine takes a look at a couple of the ways to do ot in this monthes issue.

[AlanWS]

I've not threaded large dowels, but I've tried standard machine threads on wood. Tapping a hole in wood seems to work pretty well, but threads on a small (1/4") dowel tend to break off easily. On larger stuff it clearly works, but it seems quite reasonable that the threads cut by the die are the weakest part. As the Beall cuts those with a router, my guess is that they are less likely to be damaged, and so stronger. The inside threads cut by the tap are not as likely to break, so the router is used only where it's needed. Lchien's done a good job of comparing the methods, and I would just add that it's likely that the Beall threads are a bit stronger than the others. My guess is that making sure that replaceable cutter is sharp in the HF die would be worthwhile.

I would also suggest that if you have one of the cheap sets, you could make your own router-based thread cutter by boring a hole halfway through a block of wood, continuing it through with a smaller diameter bit, and tapping the smaller diameter part. A perpendicular hole would allow access to a V-groove bit. With the router on, a dowel inserted into the largeer hole and turned would emerge threaded from the smaller.

[tkarlmann]

A couple of important points to add:

- Beall also sells individual tap & die sets so you don't have to buy the whole set. Unfortunately, Rockler no longer carries Beall that way -- they only sell sets now. You can get the individual sizes, but it does cost a little more to get started. I think its because of the fixturing used for the external threads, but the inserts are relatively inexpensive. Take a look:
http://www.bealltool.com/threader.htm

- Also, maybe everyone knows this, don't judge a wood threading system by trying to thread commercial dowels! They are probably not round enough.

- I rechecked my source, I was right -- it is the sharpening of the "box type" external threader that is under scrutiny. He says that if you sharpen that cutter, the tool will work well, but adds that this is an "in channel type of v-groove veiner and must be stoned with an angled hone that will fit inside the v-groove. If you learn the trick of sharpening a thread-box bit, you will have an excellent tool ...".

- "CA" IS cyanoacrilade (sp) glue.

[tkarlmann]

Wooden threads anew

This a reply to an old thread I started.

I noticed that HF no longer carries the wooden thread units reported on here. Anyone have another source for them? I got a Woodcraft unit, but HF prices are better.

Thoughts?

[LCHIEN]

Grizzly http://grizzly.com/products/G1868
or do a search for "wood threading tools" on Google.
but no one is as cheap as HF was on these. Don't know why they stopped carrying them.